White matt or gloss kitchen? Or something else?

[2019change]

Looking for advice. We have been blown away with the amount of choice for kitchens at the various kitchen showrooms. We only have a small kitchen and we’ve decided to make the kitchen living area open plan so we will see the kitchen the whole time from the living space. We have been given various conflicting advice from kitchen designers about whether we should go white gloss or white matt. We originally went for a white matt kitchen but it just looked really underwhelming when the designer brought it up on the CAD design. The gloss kitchen in one of the showrooms was really badly scratched and we are unsure how robust a gloss kitchen will be.

Has anyone got any strong ideas on either gloss or matt or indeed a strong option on something else - I don’t think a dark striking colour would suit as it’s only a very small flat. Are gloss kitchens generally a nightmare in terms of scratching? Thank you.

Gloss is marked out as a little bit dated already OP. Matte is more classic.

Gloss is dated especially white gloss.

Yes, gloss v dated and shows every fingerprint.

I have seen this done with white gloss units and it looked good but I would take the cue from your other furniture and reference that style.

Does it have to be white? Agree with pp, white gloss to me looks more like a mortuary than a kitchen.

Could you go down the road of a light, but warm colour, painted wood kitchen such as F and B French Grey (which is more a light sage green than a grey)?

Our previous kitchen was white gloss open plan to a more homely living area, and tbh it wasn't that easy to link the two sides, despite terracotta floor and wooden worktops. It did look very nice, the v small kitchen bit and was very light and airy overall effect but just a big medicinal/clinical disconnected from dining/living bit. Our kitchen area was north facing so we were trying everything possible to open up the space, hence white.

In our new kitchen we have all one room, and the cabinets are cream gloss, not slab but shaker style. Pale Green or Grey would also have looked nice, but we were in the mood for cream at that stage (rest of house was grey and greenish!!) Definitely white wouldn't have worked. I've been in kitchen/living rooms with white cabinets all downone side and it looks airy and big but a bit soulless. But nice enough, definitely not offputting, just not quite pulled together like a "colour"even if it is the palest of colours. When you are staring at it, the wall of white is just too much. Hence need to break it up with some colour/detail, even if it is tiles, door panel detail or handle detail

Our gloss kitchen isn't scratched at all. And reflects light nicely.

We have a white gloss kitchen! It is 13 years old now and still gleaming with no scratches at all. Very easy to look after.

Ours is open plan too and I still love the kitchen, and the contrast between there and sitting room area which has more of a relaxing feel.

Following with interest as we are planning a kitchen refurb, it too is a small kitchen so we are removing the wall and making it open plan with our lounge/diner.

I know many people don’t rate B&Q kitchens, but I’ve seen one in their new Good Home range that I love. It’s an integrated handle shaker that also comes in matte stone and I think it’s just gorgeous. Not seen this particular door style anywhere else, so thinking about just going for it!!

www.diy.com/ranges/fitted-kitchens/garcinia-gloss-stone-handleless-shaker/